Safety and Reliability Aspects of Nuclear Energy eDOCS: 5362132 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Safety and Reliability Aspects of Nuclear Energy

International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power in the 21st Century - Panelist

October 31, 2017, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Ramzi Jammal

Executive Vice-President and Chief Regulatory Operations Officer Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission President, Convention on Nuclear Safety, 7th Review Meeting

eDOCS: 5362132

Overview

International

• Safety framework and peer reviews

National Infrastructure

• Credible and independent regulator
• Operators’ ultimate responsibility for safety

Regulatory Oversight

• Culture for safety

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International Framework for Nuclear Safety

• The need to enhance regulatory effectiveness and transparency

through peer reviews such as legally binding treaties: the Convention

• f Nuclear Safety and the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel

Management and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management

• Member States are encouraged to sign on and ratify the conventions.

This is an action by the government.

• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) peer reviews services and

international cooperation in particular for new entrants

• World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) – Peer review
• Operators have the prime responsibility for ensuring safety

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International Framework for Nuclear Safety

Challenges

• No global nuclear safety watch dog
• Lack of transparency in publically rendering

the results of peer reviews to include follow up on the implementation of the recommended and suggested actions

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International Framework

• Brief overview of the 7th review of Convention on Nuclear Safety
• Goal to increase participation and transparency – what has been achieved
• Highest participation to date
• Publication of all National Reports on the IAEA’s website
• Webcasting segments of the opening and closing plenary
• Engagement with non-Contracting Parties (CPs), previously non-compliant

CPs, and directly with Governments to enhance conformity with the articles

• f the Convention
• Peer reviews of the CPs met the Convention’s objective of maintaining

a high level of nuclear safety worldwide

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National Infrastructure for Safety (1)

Safety is assured by an effective regulator

• Government’s commitment for independent

regulator with adequate financial and human resources to ensure capacity for action

• Public acceptance and trust
• Safety is national responsibility; National

regulatory competency can not be outsourced

• Long term sustainability is a must

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National Infrastructure for Safety (2)

Operators are ultimately responsible for the safe

• perations of their facility
• Safety is an integral component in dealing with infrastructure

issues to include the supply chain

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National Infrastructure for Safety (3)

Safety requires a strong political commitment by supporting the independence of the regulator

• To ensure safety is maintained

throughout the whole life cycle of nuclear facilities and activities

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Disruptive technologies

Google Glass

Nuclear industry experimenting with google glass that displays real time radiation levels

3D Printing

Westinghouse chose binder jetting additive manufacturing to produce its passive hydrogen igniter prototypes for

• testing. The parts could not be produced with the same

performance benefits using traditional manufacturing.

Disruptive technologies

Wireless sensors

Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant is the site of a pilot program using a wireless, automated, remote diagnostic system

Drones

OPG first used unmanned aerial vehicles to inspect Darlington’s vacuum building

Disruptive technologies

Autonomous vehicles

Rio Tinto has at least 54 autonomous trucks currently operating handling various transportation-related tasks.

New energy systems

“Next-generation nuclear has the potential to disrupt the global energy mix” “Fusion power has massive disruptive potential”

Deployment of SMRs and Innovative Technologies

• Effective regulator requires technical competence

and a modern, flexible regulatory framework

• Significant interest in potential deployment of

small modular reactors (SMRs) in Canada

• Novel technology and approaches to deployment

challenge the existing regulatory framework

• CNSC reviewing its processes, benchmarking with
• ther countries, and identify challenges early to

ensure readiness

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Regulatory Oversight - Culture for Safety

The CNSC has a long-standing culture for safety

• Recognized value embedded in legislation
• Accountability and leadership is clear
• Safety is learning-driven and integrated into all activities
• Imposed effective accident mitigation measures to

practically eliminate consequences of accidents

• Safety of aging facilities is real risk that must be

addressed for Long Term Operations

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Regulators - Culture for Safety: International Challenges Outcomes from the CNS 7th Review Meeting:

• CPs reported progress in developing approaches to
• versight of operators’ culture for safety; however,
• CPs noted that embedding processes to promote and

sustain the culture for safety of the regulatory body itself are not widely adopted

• The IAEA is encouraged to continue developing

guidance on culture for safety with input from States

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Reliability of Safety for Nuclear Energy

• Safety is an assurance for reliability, safety

is dependent on an independent and competent regulator, qualified operator, and they are dependent on the culture for safety of their people

• Need clear roles and responsibilities for

the IAEA, governments in support of regulators, and industry

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Conclusion

• There is no global nuclear safety champion
• International safety framework fills this void through

international cooperation but requires a commitment from States, through actions from their Government to non-performing regulator

• Need for continuous improvement, demonstration of

accountability and transparency, and a strong culture for safety

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